‘Don’t Dump, That’s Stupid, You’ll Get Arrested’

Asserting if you dump on Bridgeport you’ll be arrested, Mayor Joe Ganim citing the aid of neighborhood cameras announced on Thursday the city’s efforts in the war on blight including the arrest of a man unloading nearly 50 tires on the side of a road in the East End and another caught dumping a Jacuzzi nearby.Man nabbed dumping tires.

In a coordinated effort between the Department of Public Facilities and the Police Department six individuals were arrested recently. In four instances vehicles were seized, allowed by law in the course of criminal activity.

“We are letting people know that violators of illegal dumping will get caught and pay the consequences,” says Ganim. “People of Bridgeport and our neighborhoods are entitled to a clean place to live.”

“We are not going to tolerant this! This is my district and it is unacceptable,” says City Councilwoman Eneida Martinez who represents the East End 139th District. “I am glad of the initiatives the mayor has in placed to prevent and eliminate blight. Blighting our community is absolute disrespect.”

Anyone for a hot tub?

Violators disposing of garbage and other material are subject to a $200 fine pursuant to city ordinance and can be charged with a misdemeanor.

Ganim also noted that the city offers a $200 reward for anyone who contributes evidence that leads to an arrest for illegal dumping.

The City has several community-wide anti-blight initiatives including the removal of dilapidated buildings around the city to make way for future developments. Another program ‘Park City Pickin’ it Up’ enlists community volunteers to clean various neighborhoods.

Ganim also plans to unveil the Adopt a Trash Can program, the Mayor’s Sidewalk PILOT Program and a lighting initiative to improve visibility and encourage safety.

Information about illegal dumping should be reported at 203-576-8023 or 203-576-7976 and evidence can come in many forms, including a picture taken on a mobile phone and sent via text message.

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27 comments

OMG!!!!
And he’s doing this during work time?
What’s with the shade? He’s afraid of being id’d?
A the cop, he has his head down looking at the ground rather than looking into the camera.
Nice job guys!
I’ll nominate it for a Golden Globe. Best fiction short film.

Great job and its about time. The East End has been the dumpster of Bridgeport for years. I remember when I lived there when we saw them do this we would call the police and give them a licence number. Very seldom were they ever black.

Oh boy! Now that it’s news, dumpers will be looking for other spots in other parts of the city to dump. In my case, the dumpers are the tenants and owner of the house next door. The motherfucker cut down a small tree a few weeks ago and threw everything on my side.

Neither major political party gives a rat’s ass about Bridgeport. The Democratic Party provides lip service only when they want their candidate to win a statewide race. Then it’s off to Madison Avenue to kiss Mario Testa’s ring and eat pasta. The rest of the time it’s “Bridge what?!” The GOP in Connecticut has no traction outside of a few enclaves of provincial, backward thought. Given the party’s national image as tarnished by Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell and The Donald it’s not surprising.

So here we are, stuck with a convicted felon in the mayor’s office. He can’t improve the quality of life for the people that voted for him.

This is so long overdue these people should made an example of. They have the means to dump illegally so there is no reason they can’t uses the dump. I hope the city seizes the vehicle they tow and the violators do not get them back.

This is a great start keep Bridgeport clean.
At one time there was a Don’t Dump on Bridgport campaign I guess this Phoenix had rose for the ashes.

Dear Mayor Ganim,
I know that I have criticized you for failing to have priorities that can be followed to determine whether new and better behavior follows your example. Essentially whether we can verify what you say after action occurs because you have stated an activity as a City Priority and provided follow through. Right?

I guess I missed the PR notice when you made dumping of tires part of your personal mission. Shame on me. However, perhaps in your recent international travel or the blinding light of flash photography, you missed the two occasions of my personal comments to the City Council about a City Department called the Print Shop where a different type of “fiscal blight” seems ongoing.

Did you know they do printing at City expense for some members of the public….Imagine that? Even though it is in his Departmental chain of command, Ken Flatto could not find the authorization for this department to continue doing business outside its announced Mission, set forth in the budget book. It has likely been going on for sometime. Perhaps you can help him as he has not worked full time for the City for as long a time as you and your memory might provide a bridge as to facts (even though the numbers may still be in disarray).

I also asked where such revenue as people have reportedly paid in the past is deposited by the City or does it go into private hands? That would not be good, as you know. Taxpayers would be upset if they realized they were subsidizing secret or private benefits for a few people paid for by all taxpayers.

I also noted that City purchase orders of $863,000 in excess of Print Shop expense reports were uncovered for the years 2011-15. Boy was I surprised, though no one seems interested in following that data for an explanation. Does that mean the reports that have been coming from Finance are in error? Thanks for checking on the tires, but right here in City Hall, this is a problem for someone with your capacity and good sense to step in. I have provided the information to the City Council on two occasions but have not received a full answer from Ken Flatto, frankly. That’s why it will take your talent to set this straight.

And while you are at it, please look at the proposed budget from your office that increased the Print Shop expense for salary and benefits by $106,000. After reading the indicators and narrative, I cannot figure out why the major increase was made, can you? And it seemed to make it through budget cutting sessions too? Do you think the B&A noticed the increase?

And if Ken Flatto conservatively estimated the potential annual revenue for all work done by the Print Shop aside from City departments ($10,000), it is a critical time for you to use your management sense, perhaps hire a consultant or two, and report to us on whether privatizing this $850,000 department expense (with capital assets, etc) might get the necessary cards and forms printed, supply jobs and business for the business community in the City, and save taxpayers about $500,000 per year. Private print shops in the City do not provide employees with healthcare benefits costing $24,000 per person nor do they maintain defined benefit pension plans for employees, in my experience.

Defend us from discarded tires and whirlpools, if you will, but be sure that while you are away from City Hall, status quo procedures are not giving taxpayers an even break. (Please check out how purchasing shows much higher expenses than Finance department. Call me if you wish further details already provided to Mr. Flatto.) Just pointing to some dirty business that needs your commanding direction, you know? Time will tell.

The Bridgeport news of the past several months presents as deja’ vu — it has a very “1989” feel to it… (What are we going to do about “Trashmore?”… Can Moran actually beat Bucci? Somebody has do something about that illegal dumping and all of those gang shootings!… Can the O’Neill and Bush Administrations help us? — with Connecticut being near-bankrupt and the Savings and Loan crisis and everything going on?!…)

why are people making this such a complicated situation. This stands on its own. For way too long,people have dumped on Bridgeport. It can be Paul Newman saying,”Bridgeport is the armpit of New England” some twenty years ago and O&G poison piles in Bridgeport. This is a stand alone issue.But it also does segue into a mantra,DON’T DUMP ON BRIDGEPORT.

*** It’s about time, that the Bpt. P.D has gotten serious about catching these dead-beats that have been continuously dumping garbage @ different sites through-out the city. And some get payed to pick-up the trash @ small private businesses or homes, only to turn around & dump the trash loads illegally through-out the city! *** Make an example of these dead-beats for all to see and hear.***

So Bridgeport has cameras to catch illegal dumping but NO cameras for police cars or body cameras for Bridgeport officers. Hey Joe, how are the cameras working? With all of that trash out there on the side of the road in Bridgeport it seems not to be working.

It may be helpful for city officials to know if these are people who would dump things legally at the transfer station but the hours of operation and long wait times are a factor.

I noticed at my last visit to the transfer station that the wait time has increased, in part because no effort is made to separate those vehicles dumping in ‘the pit’ from those dumping yard waste and (here it comes) tires.

Maybe all that is required, beyond attention to comments from taxpayer consumers of these services, is for the Mayor to relieve some of the pressure from John Ricci’s TO DO LIST. Remember it was only last fall that the City kept the program when bids from the current operator were undercut significantly, but fault was found with the new bid.
My own curiosity, fiscal variety, led me to question how you can operate the facility more efficiently and less costly to City taxpayers. I am satisfied that it is not only possible but likely (and some of it has to do with the tire issues.)

Remember that Mr. Ricci had to quickly acquire equipment to meet the Mission of the Transfer Station. What was the cost of this? Has anyone done the research? Maybe, when Mayor Ganim hires the consultants to review the possible privatization of the Print Shop, they can look at the Transfer Station, also? Can you think of anything else the City considers as part of its Mission, that may be so inefficient that it can be outsourced, profitably and with customer orientation? Time will tell.

John lets not get into the bid by that eastside politician and his friends from Milford. That was a deal of the ages. Until!!!! You see the large metal Multi Bay building that has been built on Davenport street. I would love to see how this passed ZBA( I know how ) Wait until the people living in this neighborhood wake up to whats going on. Yes I know there are claims that the people living there have no problem with large dump trucks going up and down the street and leaving their loads in the new metal buildings. I am sure the kids paly ground which is about 150ft away will fit in well as will the school that’s there. This is known as one east side politician screwing a whole community

Most illegal dumping is by residents in the neighborhoods. We live in a “Throw Away Society” as Alvin Toffler said 40 years ago. Poor people don’t have vehicles or money to hire people to haul it away.
Or you can move to Milford where the City does bulk pickup like they used to do in Bridgeport.
Certainly there is the typical element of Bridgeport bullying here.

You are 100% right. There is no reason that the city is not cleaning up neighborhoods on a rotating basis. How do they expect people to get large items to the dump or to get to the dump with the dumps limited hours.
The city has spent millions on large dump truck, front loaders and such why aren’t the using them got this purpose or maybe they can tell us exactly what they use these trucks for. They are only paying most of their workers minimum wage. This bunch led by Ganim are totally incompetent just like when they worked for the other shitheads we elected.

Bob,I beg to differ I lived on the East End from 1968 until 1990 and I can assure you that most of the time especially on Beardsley St under the thru way it wasn’t done by the neighborhood. A bunch of tires and a Jacuzzi, not the neighborhood?

Now, if he could persuade city residents to use trash cans… The litter on Fairfield Avenue in Black Rock is disgusting. Everyone complains bout it but when asked to do something about it the response is “It’s not my problem.”

It’s even a problem on GBTA busses. I was on the was home on the #5 and a plastic beverage bottle was rolling around. I kicked it away a few times. A guy next to me said “Pic it up” to which I responded “Tell your mother to pick it up.” (As it was on the bus I knew the transit authority was paying union wages to have the bus cleaned. GBTA also has to have the fleet treated for roaches and bedbugs twice a week.)

Yes if people would use trash cans it’s not a difficult thing to do. Even if you took the trash home or work and throw it away there. How about cleaning up in front of your home this would go a long way too.

I live adjacent to a famous Bridgeport born sandwich shop, Chinese restaurant and variety store. I am forever cleaning up the trash that their inconsiderate patrons leave around my property. When I was growing up in Bridgeport I worked at the corner grocery store beginning at age 12. That store’s owner would daily have us police the trash around his establishment. Today’s owners often appear to be part of the problem rather than the solution.